Bounty

This is going to be great. :) Sorry I'm late, friends. Well, Right now I am in the midst of figuring out how Naruto will tell Gaara and Sasuke that he's dying. It's going to be sad. :(. Well here's the beginning of wave.

Naruto yawned as he dragged himself to the bridge. He and his new team had completed a bunch of D-ranks that really didn't help him, but even then, with less work, he was so tired.

The nightmares had returned and they kept him awake at night. They were ferocious and Naruto resorted to sleeping on the couch in order to make sure Gaara could not hear.

Today, he felt heavier than usual. He just wanted to sleep for the day, but he had gotten himself up to make sure Gaara made it to school in time. Plus he had woke extra early for early training.

Sighing when he reached the bridge, the blond blushed slightly at the sight of Sasuke. It had been three weeks since the 'Pein' incident and Naruto kept replaying the hours afterward within his head.

The blond growled into his pillow as he thought of Sakura's words and tears brimmed his eyes as he thought of Sasuke' expressions.

To Sasuke, he was a monster. He knew it.

What was wrong with him? He couldn't get over a simple crush on his best friend and that was ruining him.

He was supposed to be over Sasuke for a number of reasons.

He was a monster.

He was a clan heir.

He had a job as a hero.

And he was dying.

And that was all. It was his life to live, no-one else's. But Sakura had judged him and Sasuke had feared him.

Who were they to judge him? His life was his own and it was ending one minute at a time.

In order to block his thoughts and prevent his own downfall, Naruto squeezed his eyes shut. Chi had once told him to let things go.

He had to first know-not fear- 'know' that someday he would die. And that was that. He had to doubt everything and recreate himself. It was the only way for him to forget everything.

Everything, but he and Gaara. That was all he needed.

There was a knock at the door and it opened immediately afterward. Just as the Jinchuuriki sat up to tell his little Gaara he was fine, he was pushed back as slender arms wrapped around his neck.

Sasuke was sobbing...again….because of Naruto….again. "Tell me what's wrong, dobe." The Uchiha whimpered.

"Sasuke-"

"You're not a monster. You're my friend, my rival, my brother, whatever you want. And Sakura had no right to call Pein that. She doesn't understand anything. She doesn't have the lives we have."

Naruto sighed and untensed himself. "I guess you're right. I'm sorry….I thought you saw me as a monster."

Sasuke moved back and wiped his eyes with a blush. "If you're embracing your monstrosity, so am I."

Naruto sat next to his friend with another yawn and unconsciously laid his head on the raven's arm; an old habit that was taking too long to die….and hard.

Sasuke 'hned' and kept staring ahead, acknowledging Naruto's presence. "Hey, teme?"

"Yeah, dobe?"

"I think you and I are too powerful for simple D-rank missions."

"I already knew that, baka. I'm just stronger than you."

Naruto snorted and the raven looked at him.

"What's funny?" he smirked. "Want to fight it out?"

Naruto shrugged. "Meh. Too tired. Been training Gaara and Konohamaru too much."

Sasuke looked toward him and watched for a moment. "Tone it down. You'll die out before you know it if you don't relax."

'You have no idea, teme,' Naruto thought sadly. To think that nothing but goals would be fulfilled before he died at age 26. To think that he would never be happy.

Naruto knew what kind of person he was and so did Sasuke.

The Uchiha looked at him. "I hate to say this, but you don't need to train anymore. You're too powerful, usuratonkachi. I know how you think and I know you like feeling as much pain you give."

Before Naruto could open his mouth, Sakura and Kakashi had come and Naruto removed himself.

"You're early, sensei." Naruto commented.

"Meh, I wanted to get to the hokage early in order to finish the day quickly." The jounin stated with a smile.

Sakura ran to walk in stride with Sasuke as the four walked to the hokage building.

Naruto sighed and remained behind. He'd have plenty of time to speak with Sasuke later.

The hokage hummed as he looked through the pile of missions for team 7 to uphold. "Let's see if we can find a D-rank, D-rank….not that, hm..-"

Naruto pointed. "Hey, old man, give us a better mission. We want to use our powers to their limits. I know that I don't have one, but still…" He trailed off, watching the audacious stare of his former sensei.

Iruka frowned. "Naruto. Watch your tone when speaking to the hokage."

Hiruzen laughed it off. "It's fine. He and Gaara somehow make my life a lot brighter. The two misfits."

Naruto smiled. "Does this mean we don't need to o a D-rank?"

The hokage simply nodded. "A C-rank mission will do fine for you."

Naruto sighed dramatically and fell back into Kakashi, who simply ruffled his hair and pushed him away. "I think we all know as much as the world that I can take an S-rank mission."

Sakura tried punching Naruto, but the blond quickly dodged. "You think arrogance is cool, Naruto. I'd never fall for you if you think you're above everyone."

Naruto faked a whine. "But, Sakura-chan. I'm not arrogant, I'm confident. Humility is the fine line between the two. Arrogance smirks; confidence smiles. And it's not that I think I'm above everyone. It's just that I know no one is above me."

Sasuke rolled his eyes when Sakura growled. "Tch, Dobe. You know I'm above you."

"What'd you say, teme?"

"Hey!" Iruka called to the team. The hokage sighed. "Your mission is to protect Tazuna on his journey back to wave."

Naruto groaned as a drunken man walked in. "Are you serious? You've gotten kids to protect me. I see an emo, a little girl…" His eyes trailed over to Naruto.

The old man faltered and moved back slightly. "It's you."

The blond looked away with a frown. But then the man spoke again. "Then I know the hokage did well in knowing who would protect me."

Naruto looked to the man and gave him a thumbs up. "We'll protect you with our lives."

"Alright team. Grab your belongings. We leave in ten on our journey. Be at the front gates." Kakashi recalled and poofed away.

Naruto sighed. He'd have to leave his little Gaara for a short amount of time.

Naruto sighed contently as he and his team walked more than a mile from the village. Now he was a bit aways from the stares, the harsh glances, the fear.

He just wished Gaara was with him.

"Something on your mind, saviour?" Naruto looked to Tazuna.

"Please don't call me that." The blond winced. He had never been worshipped as much in his life.

"Why of course it's true. Unless you dislike it."

Naruto chose to ignore the man's pestering. He froze, however, when staring at the ground.

A puddle when it hadn't rained in a number of days. That could only mean.

When they passed the puddle, two figures jumped out. Chains wrapped around Kakashi and pulled him apart.

"One down." One of the men said. They charged at Tazuna.

Naruto hit swiped his staff. "Light Cut!"

Sakura screamed in slight horror as one of the men fell in half.

Sasuke kept fighting his own shinobi, but he hadn't been strong enough. Naruto growled as Sasuke's face was cut slightly.

"Prophecy Sage Art: Chaos Genesis."

They watched as the shinobi froze and fell to the ground. Naruto had absorbed all of the nin's chakra. He was going to die. Slowly, but surely, he was going to die.

The shinobi stared into Naruto's eyes. The blond would be the last person to see before he died. "Akuma Kitsune" He said.

The blond had no idea what came over him then. He felt powerful. He felt like a worshipped God. He was a God. He was just like Chi.

"Can You feel it?" He questioned the dying man. "The deadweight of your legs, the dizziness in your head. The soft throbbing of your heart. That's it. That's what we've been waiting for. Because we chose to fight for a village that wouldn't even fight for us. This is it. The quiet comfort, kid. The beauty of dying."

The shinobi stared with a frown and his eyes rolled upward. "You are a monster."

Naruto breathed deeply. "I know."

And the man fell forward, dropping before the blond's feet.

When that happened, the blond moved away and Kakashi came from the trees. "Sakura, I didn't expect you to freeze up like that. If anything, you should have protected Tazuna. Good job, Naruto...Sasuke."

Kakashi turned to Tazuna. "They weren't after Naruto. They ran toward you."

"You lied about the rank of the mission." Naruto growled, his horns still protruding, his fangs gleaming.

Tazuna stepped back. "I have to save my village. You'd understand that, right, Namikaze?"

Naruto stopped. "I'm my brother's hero first. I understand. But why?"

It had taken Tazuna five minutes to explain the treachery of a man named Gato and why building his bridge was so important.

When Naruto had decided to sit, he sighed in anger. "So you haven't been able to finish the bridge because you'll know you'll be assassinated?"

Tazuna nodded. "Gato will kill my family and I need to keep them safe. He told me not to keep building it, but I have to."

Naruto frowned. "Fear is an enemy. Living in fear isn't a good thing. You have to be brave. To Gato, you listen, smile, and you agree to what he says. Then you go and do whatever the fuck you were gonna do anyway."

Tazuna nodded rodded rapidly. "That's why I was happy you came. If anyone can defeat Gato and his army alone, It'd be you. Did you see the way you took out those two B-rank ninja?"

Naruto smiled, but before he could speak, Sakura, still shaken, spoke first. "He sliced that man in half. That's not supposed to happen."

"It was, Sakura. Our mission is to protect Tazuna by any means. We'll fail if we don't."

Sakura shook her head. "But, we aren't supposed to split people in hal-"

"That's our job." Sasuke cut her off. "I'd advise you to believe that. You're not some delicate snowflake, Sakura. You're a ninja. And that means you're the same decaying organism as everyone else."

Naruto blushed deeply. How had Sasuke gotten so intellectual? He had reminded the blond of Chi all too well.

In spite of herself, Sakura blushed and nodded sweetly at her crush. "Of course. You're right, Sasuke-kun."

Kakashi stood from sealing the demon brothers. "Alright, people. Let's continue."

"That's the bridge I'm building. Once it's done, all of wave will be back on its feet." Tazuna told everyone as they departed from a small boat.

"Fascinating." Naruto said. They was some rustling in a nearby bush and Naruto threw a kunai. A bunny jumped out.

Tazuna sighed. "Just a bunny."

Sasuke, however, moved closer to Naruto and voiced his thoughts. "A winter rabbit. In Wave country?" he questioned.

"Get down!" Kakashi yelled. He pulled Sakura and Tazuna to the ground as Naruto tackled the Sasuke.

A large sword collided with the tree. Naruto knew that sword. He knew it so well. He had never met that man, but Pein did. His mother did as well.

Naruto smiled as he stared at a picture of his mother. Younger she'd been in the photo, standing next to a boy that seemed very out of place, a large sword in his hand.

"Mommy?" The three year old called. "Who's this boy?"

Kushina walked over to her son and sat him upon her lap and when she saw he picture she smiled sweetly. "My first and only student, Zabuza Momochi. A good kid he was."

"How did you find him?"

"After my parents died in whirlpool, I decided to travel here since aunt Mito lived her. On my travels, I travelled to Kiri and met this boy. He was brash and a coward, but I decied to toughen him up."

"Did you beat him up, mommy?" A few times, the redhead woman stated. "But I taught him how to handle a sword as well. Said he'd be a great swordsman one day.

"Addy taught Kakashi-nii." Naruto stated.

Kushina giggled. Leaning close, she shushed her son. "But, Zabuza is much stronger than Kakashi. Deep down, Zabuza was able to love unlike Kakashi. Don't tell daddy mommy said that."

Naruto nodded and stared at the child again. "Where is he now, mommy?"

"He had to stay in his own village." Kushina smiled softly.

Zabuza jumped down and stared into Naruto's uneven eyes.

"No wonder the demon brothers were killed. They went against Kakashi no Sharingan. And worse Namikaze Naruto, the demon fox. By your face, there's no doubt you're my senseis son."

Naruto stood in front of Sasuke and pulled out his staff. "Zabuza Momochi. Traitor to your own village. Come at us."

The man shook his head. "I'm not interested in fighting you kid, although it'd be an honor and I want the bridge builder, I'm interested in you actually."

Even then, Naruto held his ground. "What the fuck do you want then?"

Zabuza laughed. "Definitely Kushina sensei's son. You and me, kid, we're the same. I used to think Konoha was going too soft on making their kids ninja.

But you kid, geez. We were young when we got our first kill, weren't we?"

"Shut your damn mouth. We're nothing alike." Naruto screamed. But, he wasn't telling Zabuza; he was telling himself.

Zabuza chuckled. "Look at you. I bet you don't want to accept who or what you are. I bet you're ready to kill me, now. You've gotten so used to the killing, it doesn't affect you anymore.

Naruto growled and began to lift his staff in the air. He would kill Zabuza with a single swing.

"Look at you, now you're glowing. Whoo, what I'd do to be a Namikaze." And sure enough, Naruto was emitting Kyuubi's chakra around him.

"I heard about you around, Naruto. You're a monster. Tell me, how'd it feel for you to kill those men and women? All 287."

He stood alone. None of his teammates were helping him in this. They let Zabuza call him what he wanted. And he was right.

They call you and me demons, kid. That man behind you, Kakashi. He doesn't care for you. He's afraid of you. The girl and the boy too. Especially the girl. She's afraid that once you unleash that fox, it'll all go down the drain."

Before Naruto could kill Zabuza, a blur of blue and white jumped before him. "You can't talk to him that way. He may be a bit weird and stupid at times, but he's still a hero. He's still my friend."

The confession somehow angered Zabuza as he leaned forward ready to pounce. "Don't talk like he's one of you. He's not! He's a freak! Just like me!"

And the man pounced, ready to hit Sasuke and Naruto. Naruto lifted his staff. "Light Cut!"

A slice of yellow light and Zabuza's form froze in the air. Eyes narrowed and Kakashi jumped toward Tazuna. It was only then the body that Naruto hit burst into sprinkles of water, dying in the sunlight.

"A water clone. Everyone, protect Tazuna with your lives." the man ordered.

Sakura tensed then, her body not moving, but eyes shifting everywhere as mist began to form. Kakashi unveiled his Sharingan.

"Don't worry, Sakura, I'll protect you." he looked to Naruto, who seemed determined for Zabuza's blood, not needing help at all. "All of you."

The blond frowned and looked beyond him. There would be no mission if Sasuke got hurt. "Prophecy Sage Art: All Seeing Ripple."

With a stomp of his staff, it was clear to see all. And Zabuza was so close to Tazuna. Grabbing a kunai, the blond threw it harshly, watching as it skewed past Kakashi's sharingan and right toward Zabuza.

The swordsman easily dodged the weapon with a smirk. Naruto closed his eyes, facing that the older man wasn't half as skilled as he and Sasuke were when it came to strategy.

Just as Zabuza continued to lash at Tazuna, the kunai that was thrown turned to Sasuke and the raven punched Zabuza and jumped away.

It wasn't much, but Kakashi had successfully located Zabuza and the large fight began.

Naruto grew weary. Tired even. Since when did he feel strain on small attacks. He assumed this was one of his days.

He watched as Zabuza was swiped in the chest with a kunai, his body growing exhausted as well. Naruto ran toward Zabuza as the man was knocked back into a tree. Weary or not, he wanted the final hit. And he'd fucking scorch him alive.

"Namikaze light Release: Ray of Assassination!"

The flame was small due to his weakness and it did not reach Zabuza. Before the blond reached further, Sasuke jumped next to him.

"Wind Style: Great breakthrough!" Naruto smiled at his friend as Sasuke's wind attack strengthened his fire.

It had been nice that they could both do things like that. Naruto had blushed furiously at times when they trained and executed their Uchikaze fighting style.

Sasuke bumped shoulders with him. "Your Namikaze kekkei genkai is a strong fire. Uchiha's have fire. And we both have wind release."

"Great observation, teme." Naruto mocked, leaning back into the wall.

Sasuke bumped him again. "It's like our elements complement each other. Fire needs wind to make it stronger, you know. It can only live fully if wind is there to inspire it."

Naruto smiled. "And wind needs fire because fire is its inspiration. Without fire, wind would have nothing to protect or fight for, and therefore nothing to live for."

Sasuke nodded. "They complement one another."

Naruto leaned up to look at Sasuke's face more clearly. The Uchiha looked at him too and the blond smiled. "We complement one another. Right, teme? So if anyone were to mess with either of us, the other would be there. You be my fire to protect. And I'll be the wind to inspire you. And vice-versa?"

Sasuke closed his eyes, having been used to Naruto's excitement over comradeship. "Hn."

They watched as the flame nearly reached Zabuza; however, just as his doom was sealed, three senbon needles threw him to the side, causing him to evade the attack and slump over.

Naruto growled and watched as a masked child, maybe a year older, jumped down near the body. "Thank you, Namikaze-san. For you have helped me deeply."

"Who are you?" Naruto growled, claws growing.

"I am a hunter-nin of Kirigakure. If I were you, Namikaze-san, I'd do well to just leave the bridge builder. You have a bounty here in Kiri, even if this is wave country, men are greedy."

The hunter-nin observed Naruto and the blond could see a small smile even behind the mask. "But then again, if I were you, I'd remain where I was, ready for action."

And grabbing the body, the child disappeared.

Sasuke looked over his team, angered for some reason. "That seems sketchy." he looked to Naruto, who had been swaying. "Naruto?"

The blond swayed and fell to the ground, shaking violently. A seizure, at this time?

Naruto and Sakura ran to his side as he stared at his friend helplessly, trying to communicate with him. Sasuke grabbed Naruto's pack and pulled out anything he could find. When his pale hand touched a small container, Naruto shook even more.

The raven nodded and opened the container, frowning at the green liquid within. With a small finger, he dabbed some on Naruto's forehead, sighing with heavy relief.

Sasuke's chest felt heavy as he watched Naruto calm down. Tears nearly brimmed his eyes at his friend's helpless state. The blond collapsed back down onto his friend.

"I'm sorry. It's nothin. Just a seizure. I'll….I'll be….fine soon. Hear me, Sas. I'll…"

The blond trailed off, his speech growing coherent and his eyes growing heavy. "Sasuke?"

The raven peered down at him, some of his unwanted tears dropping on the tan scarred face.

Naruto watched the sun. It had only come up today to humiliate him. "Naruto. Idiot, what's wrong?"

Naruto whimpered as his vision became more clouded. He could see Hikari's monster in his thoughts. He was waiting for Naruto to sleep. Waiting in the darkness for the blond.

"Come my grandson. I'll help you."

Naruto shook his head. "Don't let it get me, Sasuke."

His eyes closed and Naruto fell into his mind, a part even the tailed beasts could not find.

He stared at his bloody torso and face. And then to the eyes of a man, and not a man, who looked like him.

They were different.

The were the same.

The being smiled at Naruto. "Grandson. It's been so long."

Naruto moved backward. In all his years, this was the only thing he would ever fear. His great great grandfather would always scare him. In his dreams, the man would be there. Never physically hurting Naruto, but getting into his head. The mental abuse was the worse.

"Please stay away from me." He begged. He, a powerful godlike child, begging.

Haruto Namikaze, or a part of him, smiled viciously and formed a ball of light in his hand. That same ball had been squeezed by the man and Naruto flinched.

"The arrogant thing about light…" Haruto began. "Light thinks it travels faster than anything, but it's wrong. No matter how fast light light travels, it finds that the darkness has gotten there first and is waiting for it." He looked back at Naruto fear-stricken face.

This was something Chi did not know. This was something the great toad sage had assumed right. This was his secret. His grandfather didn't just order something to be within him.

The man had actually placed part of himself within the boy.

Naruto grabbed at his head. He wondered if his team could hear him scream in agony...or if that was a secret too.

And now we all know what's inside Naruto as of now. It's part of his great great grandfather It'll make sense soon, friends.